Suction cleaner nozzle construction



' April 8, 1969 s. E. ERBOR SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION FiledNov. 26, 1965 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. Stanley E. Ezzbor ATTORNEYS I April8, 1969 s. E. ERBOR SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION Sheet 3 of2Filed Nov. 26, 1965 I N VENTOR. Stanley E. Ezzbor V /mw, @%V& W

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,437,424 SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLECONSTRUCTION Stanley E. Erbor, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor toRoyal Appliance Manufacturing Co., Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Filed Nov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,867 Int. Cl. A611 9/02; A4717/04 US. Cl. 21127 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A suction cleanerhaving a fan housing with an inlet and a suction nozzle having anentrance mouth at its lower end and a passage therefrom to the fanhousing inlet. A crystal container is positioned entirely within saidpassage in the upper portion of the nozzle and has perforations in itslower side providing communication with said passage.

removable nozzles, movable lamp housings, and with crystal containers,but not to my knowledge with a pivotally mounted lamp located close tothe crystal valve to heat the crystals, when the lamp is in cleaneroperating position. Nor have suction cleaners been provided with theparticular latch construction, hereinafter disclosed, for attaching thenozzle to the fan casing.

It is also not known that suction cleaners have been previously providedincluding the combination of the crystal valve and the particular latch,both enclosed by a pivoted lamp housing.

Furthermore, it is not known that the hereinafter described O-ring sealarrangement has ever been used upon a suction cleaner.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide aportable suction cleaner with a removable nozzle having a crystalcontainer in the nozzle and a pivotally mounted lamp located close tothe crystal container, to heat the crystals, when the lamp is in cleaneroperating position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a suction cleaner inwhich a valve adjacent a crystal heating lamp is provided upon the topof the crystal container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner of thecharacter referred to, in which a novel latch construction is providedfor attaching the removable nozzle to the fan housing of the suctioncleaner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a suction cleanerof this type, in which the latch construction includes a pivotallymounted cam member for operating a reciprocally slidable latch member.

It is likewise an object of the present invention to provide such asuction cleaner, in which the crystal valve and the latch means are bothenclosed by the pivoted lamp housing.

And finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a portablesuction cleaner of the character referred to with a removable nozzlehaving a novel O-ring seal arrangement.

These and other objects, apparent from the drawings and followingdescription, may be attained, the above described difficulties overcomeand the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction,arrangements and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprisethe present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative ofthe best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying theprinciple, being set forth in detail in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In general terms the invention may be briefly described as a portablesuction cleaner including a motor and fan housing located upon ahorizontal axis, and mounted upon a carriage for movement to and froupon a floor or other horizontal objective surface.

The fan housing has a vertical front wall provided with a central inletopening, through which the fan shaft projects forwardly, the forward endportion thereof being formed to provide a belt pulley. A removablenozzle is provided with a horizontal, rearwardly disposed tubularportion having an attaching plate thereon for contact with the verticalfront wall of the fan housing.

The removable nozzle also includes a downwardly directed lateral nozzleportion in which is located a rotatable brush upon a shaft located atright angles to the axis of the fan shaft.

As in usual practice, the brush shaft is driven by means of a belt,which is twisted to provide an upper loop engaging the pulley portion ofthe fan shaft and a lower loop which extends around the brush shaft.

Means upon the lower end of the attaching plate of the nozzle engagesmating means upon the fan housing, and latch means upon the fan housingengages the upper edge of the attaching plate for detachably connectingthe nozzle to the fan housing. The latch means comprises .a reciprocallysliding latch member operated by a rotatable cam member.

A novel O-ring seal arrangement is provided comprising an O-ring locatedin an annular groove in the end of the horizontal tubular portion of thenozzle and contacting and compressed by the adjacent surface of theattaching plate, and another O-ring located in a groove in the verticalfront wall of the fan housing and contacting and compressed by theadjacent surface of the attaching plate.

There is a crystal container formed in the upper portion of the nozzlehaving perforations providing comrnunication with the interior of thenozzle. A valve is provided at the top of the crystal container foropening or closing the same to the room atmosphere.

A lamp housing is pivotally mounted upon the front of the fan housingand adapted to enclose both the latch and the crystal valve, and carriesa lamp bulb which is located close to the crystal valve when the lamp isin cleaner operating position, so as to heat the crystals and help tovaporize them.

The nozzle is shown as provided with a belt lifter comprising anadjustable belt-engaging member for supporting the upper loop of thebelt, clear of the fan shaft, for detaching the nozzle from the fanhousing or attaching it thereto. However, the above mentioned featuresof the invention may be accomplished with or without this belt lifter.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a suction cleaner showing the newnozzle construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, side elevational sectional view;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on the line 3-3, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the guide,

on the front wall of the fan housing, for the latch for detachablyconnecting the nozzle to the fan housing;

FIG. 5 is a detached perspective view of the sliding latch member;

FIG. 6 is a detached perspective view of the rotatable cam member whichoperates the latch;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lamp housing with thenozzle removed, showing the lat-ch in unlocked position and showing thepivoted lamp housing in raised position;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the crystal container and valve,taken on the line 8--8, FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, on a smaller scale, of the upperportion of the fan housing and nozzle, showing the pivoted lamp housingin raised position.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, in which similar numerals refer to similar partsthroughout, an electrically operated, portable suction cleaner, withdetachable nozzle, is shown. The suction cleaner includes a motorlocated in the motor housing 1, associated with a fan housing 2 having afan 3 and secured upon the motor extension shaft 4.

A suction nozzle, indicated generally at 5, is detachably connected tothe fan housing as will be later described. An operating handle 6 and aconventional dust bag (not shown) connected with exhaust 7 of fanhousing 2 are also provided for the cleaner. The motor housing 1, fanhousing 2 and nozzle 5 are mounted on front casters 8 and preferablyadjustable, double rear casters 9, for ambulent motion over a surface tobe cleaned, are provided,

as indicated at 10 in FIG. 2. Conventional means is indicated at 11 inFIG. 1 for adjusting the rear casters 9.

Fan housing 2 has a flat, vertical, front wall 12 having a central inletopening 13 therein. Surrounding inlet opening 13 is an annular groove14, within which is located an O-ring 15 for a purpose to be laterdescribed.

Suction nozzle 5 preferably includes walls forming a transverselyelongated brush housing mouth 16 and the rearwardly disposed tubularneck 17 leading to the fan chamber, as best shown in FIG. 2. A flatplate 18 is connected to the rear end of tubular neck 17, as by screws19.

An air-tight seal is formed between the rear end of tubular neck 17 andflat plate 18 by O-ring 20, located in annular groove 21 formed in therear end of tubular neck 17 and adapted to be compressed when flat plate18 is drawn against the rear end of tubular neck 17 by means ofattaching screws 19.

A rotary brush, indicated generally at 22 and provided with bristles 23,may be detachably and adjustably, rotatably mounted in the suction mouth16, in conventional manner. Brush 22 is adapted to be motor driven, asbest shown in FIG. 2, preferably by an endless, flat band, rubber belt24 which passes over brush pulley surface 25 and pulley surface 72 ofmotor shaft extension 4.

Downwardly open bifurcations 26 are provided on the lower end of flatplate 18 and are adapted to be engaged over rod 27 carried by lugs 28 Onthe lower portion of the front side of the fan housing, as shown in FIG.2.

Nozzle 5 is detachably connected to fan housing 2 by a novel latchconstruction. This latch comprises guide 29 having spaced vertical guideflanges 30 formed upon the upper portion of the forward side of the fanhousing.

A threaded aperture 31 is formed in guide 29 to receive attaching screw32, on which sliding latch member 33 is vertically slidably mountedbetween guide flanges 30, by means of the vertical slot 34 therein.

Forwardly disposed shoulders or projections are formed at the upper andlower ends of sliding latch member 33 comprising angular outturnedflange 35 at the upper end of said latch member and angular outturnedflange 36 at the lower end thereof.

The operating cam member 37 is provided with the eccentric aperture 38by means of which it is pivoted upon screw 32. This cam :member has camsurface 39 contacting flange 35 of sliding latch member 33, and camsurface 40 contacting flange 36 of said sliding latch member.

Operating cam 37 is provided with an operating handle 41 which extendsupward when sliding latch 33 is in latched position over the upper edgeof flat plate 18, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and with an operatinghandle 42 which extends upward when the latch plate is in unlatchedposition, as shown in FIG. 7. Handle 41 is provided with angular lug 43and handle 42 with an angular lug 44, for manipulating cam 37.

The upper portion of nozzle 5 is provided with a conventional container45 for containing crystals such as are commonly used in suction celanersof this type for killing germs, \moths and the like. This container hasapertures 46 therein communicating with the passage within the nozzlefrom mouth 16 through tubular neck 17 to the fan chamber inlet.

The top of the crystal container is provided with means for adapting itto communicate with the room atmosphere, which means may be in the formof a valve comprising detachable perforate cover plate 47 and perforateclosure plate 48 slidably associated therewith.

Perforate cover plate 47 may be provided at one end with an offsetspring 49, adapted to be inserted into a suitable aperture 50 in theadjacent end wall of container 45, and at its other end with a springtang 51, adapted to frictionally engage a projection 52 upon the otherend wall of the container to detachably retain the valve upon the top ofthe crystal container.

Perforate sliding plate 48 of the valve is slidably con-.

nected to perforate cover plate 47 for longitudinal slidable movementthereon 'by means of studs 53 attached to plate 47 and passing throughelongated slots 54 in sliding plate 48. One end of sliding plate 48 maybe turned up as indicated at 55 and provided with bead 56 forming ahandle for reciprocating the same.

The valve is in open position when sliding plate 48 is moved to theposition shown in FIG. 8, with apertures 57 therein registering withapertures 58 in cover plate 47. When sliding plate 48 is moved to theright, from the position shown in FIG. 8, solid portions thereof willcover apertures 58 in the cover plate so as to close the valve and cutoff communication with the room atmosphere.

A lamp housing, indicated generally at 59, is pivotally mounted upon theupper portion of the fan housing. This lamp housing comprises top wall60 and side walls 61, and is pivotally mounted upon the fan housing bymeans of ears .62, formed upon side walls 61, and screws 63 pivotallyconnect the ears to the fan housing.

The headlight comprises a lamp bulb 64 located in a conventional lampsocket 65 mounted within the pivoted lamp housing and connected byelectric wires 66 associated with a source of power for the motor, bulb64 preferably being lighted when the motor and fan are in operation, asin usual practice.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the pivotally mounted lamp bulb 64 is locatedclose to the crystal valve when the lamp housing is in the lowered orcleaner operating position, so as to heat the crystals in the container45 in order to evaporate the crystals. In this lowered position of thepivoted lamp housing both the crystal valve and the latch for the nozzleare enclosed by the pivoted lamp housing.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated shows means for supportingthe belt 24 wholly by the nozzle in a position such that the fan shaft 4is free to move out of or into the upper belt loop as the nozzle isdetached from or attached to the fan housing, and that is movable fromits belt-supporting position to re-engage the belt with the fan shaft.

While no claim is made to this belt-supporting means, it is preferredthat the same be used. As shown, this comprises a circular opening 67 inthe front wall of the nozzle within which is rotatably mounted circularclosure member 68 having a suitable handle 69 for rotating the samewithin the opening 67.

A suitable arm 70 projects inwardly from rotatably mounted closuremember 68 and is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement withbelt 24. As shown in FIG. 2, closure member 68 turns about an axis whichis disposed at an angle to the axis of fan shaft 4, and arm 70 is sopositioned on the member 68 that when the rotary closure member 68 isrotated in counterclockwise direction for about one-half turn, arm 70engages in the upper loop of the belt 24 and raises the same from shaft4, supporting the belt entirely within the nozzle upon beltcarryingportion 71 of arm 70 and pulley portion 25 of brush 22.

As the upper loop of belt 24 is thus supported clear of shaft 4, theshaft is free to move easily out of the belt loop when nozzle 5 isdetached from fan housing 2. In the same way, the nozzle may be againattached to the fan casing and circular opening closure 68 again rotatedto the position shown in FIG. 2 to replace the upper loop of the beltupon pulley portion 72 of fan shaft 4. While the above is a preferredconstruction because of its convenience, no claim is made to the same.

Thus a construction of suction cleaner nozzle is provided in which apivotally mounted lamp is adapted to be located close to the valve ofthe crystal container, to heat the crystals and vaporize the same, whenthe lamp is in the lowered or cleaner operating position.

Also, a novel latch construction is provided for detachably securing asuction cleaner nozzle upon cleaner fan casing, and that both this latchand the crystal valve are enclosed by the pivoted lamp housing when thesame is in the lowered or cleaner operating position.

Further, a novel and efficient O-ring sealing arrangement is provided,including O-rings carried in grooves in the front face of the 'fanhousing and in the rear end of the tubular neck of the nozzle andforming seals between the fan housing and nozzle and the adjacent facesof the plate 18. This construction provides a positive seal withoutrequiring the expensive operations of machining tapered conicalcomplementary surfaces on the neck and fan housing in accordance withprior practice to form an airtight connection.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchwords are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to bebroadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, theoperation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and theadvantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and usefulconstruction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious tothose skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, :1 fan housing having an inlet, a suctionnozzle detachably connected directly to the fan housing, said nozzlehaving an entrance mouth at its lower end and a passage therefrom tosaid fan housing inlet, a crystal container located entirely within saidpassage in the upper portion of said nozzle, there being perforations insaid crystal container providing communication with said passage, meansat the top of said crystal container providing communication with theroom atmosphere, and a pivotally mounted lamp located close to saidmeans at the top of said crystal container when the lamp is in cleaneroperating position, to heat said crystals.

2. In a suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which said means atthe top of said crystal container is a valve.

3. In a suction cleaner as defined in claim 2, in which the valvecomprises a perforate cover plate for the crystal container and aperforate slide plate slidably associated with the perforate coverplate.

4. In a suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, said lamp comprising alamp socket and a lamp bulb located in a lamp housing pivotally mountedupon the fan housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,931,165 10/1933 Martinet 21-1272,166,267 7/ 1939 Scott 15-324 XR 2,823,411 2/1958 Kirby 15-324 XR3,049,744 8/ 1962 MacFarland 15-324 FOREIGN PATENTS 342,185 1/ 1931Great Britain.

JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Primary Examiner. BARRY S. RICHMAN, AssistantExaminer.

US. Cl. X.R. 15-257.1, 324; 21-120; 43-129

